Alecto Carrow was born sometime before [[1981]]<ref name="HBP2">''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]'' - Chapter 2 (''Spinner's End'')</ref> into the [[pure-blood]] [[Carrow family]]<ref name="blood"/> somewhere in the [[Great Britain|British Isles]]. At some point before her instruction in the [[magic]]al arts, she acquired [[Alecto Carrow's wand|a wand]].<ref name="DH30"/>

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Alecto Carrow was born sometime before [[1981]]<ref name="HBP2">''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]'' - Chapter 2 (''Spinner's End'')</ref> into the [[pure-blood]] [[Carrow family]] somewhere in the [[Great Britain|British Isles]]. At some point before her instruction in the [[magic]]al arts, she acquired [[Alecto Carrow's wand|a wand]].<ref name="DH30"/>

"Alecto, Amycus's sister, teaches Muggle Studies, which is compulsory for everyone. We've all got to listen to her explain how Muggles are like animals, stupid and dirty, and how they drive wizards into hiding by being vicious toward them, and how the natural order is being re-established."

On Snape's orders, she and her brother quickly left the Tower, panting excitedly. In the corridors below, Alecto and Amycus retreated after Snape with their arms over their heads, under attack from blasts by Minerva McGonagall. As the brother and sister descended the Marble Staircase, Harry took a shortcut and arrived in the grounds before them.[11]

As the two Death Eaters closed in after him, one of them cast a spell that sent Harry to the ground. Harry hit one of them, who stumbled and fell, tripping up the other, with another Impediment Jinx. The two siblings then ran to the gates, and Disapparated beyond the school boundaries.[11]

Appointment at Hogwarts

Neville Longbottom: "It's been… Well, it's not really like Hogwarts anymore. Do you know about the Carrows?"

Harry Potter: "Those two Death Eaters who teach here?"

Neville Longbottom: "They do more than teach. They're in charge of all discipline. They like punishment, the Carrows."

Harry Potter: "Like Umbridge?"

Neville Longbottom: "Nah, they make her look tame. The other teachers are all supposed to refer us to the Carrows if we do anything wrong. They don't, though, if they can avoid it. You can tell they all hate them as much as we do. […] I got this one for asking [Alecto] how much Muggle blood she and her brother have got."

The Muggle Studies classes were made compulsory core classes. The curriculum was changed so that it now covered the Ministry of Magic's anti-Muggle propaganda; that Muggles were stupid and dirty, how they threatened the Wizarding world and how the "natural order" was being reestablished,[14] instead of covering aspects of Muggle culture and science.[15]

As Deputy Heads, the Carrows were put in charge of all punishment. The members of faculty were obliged to report any rule-breaking student to them, although they did not if they could avoid it. Punishments given out by the Carrows included torture, via the Cruciatus Curse, as well as chaining students, and corporal punishment in the form of beatings and slashes with knives.[14]

Once the Carrows realised they had no hold over Neville, they planned to kill him or send him to Azkaban. As the Carrows chased him, Neville chose the Room of Requirement as a hideout, and the rest of Dumbledore's Army soon followed in his footsteps, and moved into the room as the Carrows tried to hunt them all down.[14]

Alecto was keeping watch when Harry arrived with Luna Lovegood. She immediately touched her Dark Mark, letting Voldemort and all the Death Eaters know that they had got him. Alecto was immediately stunned by Luna, but Amycus demanded Minerva McGonagall to let him into the Tower. Once inside, he saw his unconscious sister but no sign of Harry, as both he and Luna were hidden beneath Harry's Invisibility Cloak. Aware that they were going to feel Voldemort's wrath if they did not hand him Harry, Amycus planned to pass it off on the students, and when Professor McGonagall objected calling Amycus and Alecto cowards in the process, he spat in her face. This caused Harry to use the Cruciatus Curse on him, which knocked him out. Minerva McGonagall used a spell to conjure a net, and the two siblings were tied up and hoisted into the air, where they were left dangling beneath the ceiling.[5]

Physical appearance

Alecto Carrow was a stocky little woman like the Weasley twins, with a wheezy giggle, much like her brother.[3] Sloping-shouldered, she had stubby fingers and, as a Death Eater, she was branded with the Dark Mark on her forearm.[5]

Etymology

Alecto

The name, "Alecto", means "unceasing in anger". "Alecto" is known to have been derived from the earlier male name; "Alektos".

In Greek mythology, Alecto was one of the Erinyes, also known as the Furies; they were the personifications of vengeance and pangs of conscience, and are known for being cruel and bloodthirsty towards wrongdoers.

Carrow

In English, the word; "Carrow", can refer to two places. "Carrow" in Norfolk, or "Carraw" in Northumberland. The first is assumed to have its name derived from the Old English word "carr", meaning "rock", and a word of Celtic origin; "hoh", meaning "spur of a hill". While the second appears to have been named either after the plural of the Old English word "carr", or after a mixture of a form of "carr", and another Old English word; "raw", meaning "row".

It is also possible, that the surname was originally a shortnened version of the Cornish surname; "Nancarrow".

↑See this interview; "Samantha: Was snape the only death eater who could produce a full patronus
J.K. Rowling: Yes, because a Patronus is used against things that the Death Eaters generally generate, or fight alongside. They would not need Patronuses."